Apparatus for nesting and subdividing comestibles



C. W. VOGT APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING coMEsTIBLEs Filed Feb. 25, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 Y E N R O T T A M A M A c. w. voGT 2,018,750

APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUDIVIDING COMESTIBLES I5 Sheets-Sheet z Filed4 Feb. 23, 1953 l f NNN x, 4./5 my@ n. w Q a a;

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APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Oct. 29, 1935.

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APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 25, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 45 DUH. NQ.

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A APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 23, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet `6 3y @i L i@ A 9 0 M- l I nlllllllll 96 l lNvE'N'roR Clarence Il( F051 BY ATTORNEYS Oct. 29, 1935. c. w. voGT APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 23, 1953 13 Sheets-Sheet '7 lNvENroR @mme 11,7031# BY duw/#WAM ATTORNEYS i Oct. 29, 1935. c. w. voGT 2,018,759

APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUKBDIVIDING CQMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 2s, 1935 15 sheets-sheet 8 M ATTORNEYS Oct. 29, 1935. c. w. voGT 2,018,750

APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 2s, 193s 1s sheets-sheet 1o ill" Il ii INVENTOR 1,57 ATTORNEYS Oct. 29, 1935.

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APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 23, 1933 1 l f l 1 l n Clare/we W Voy# Y ATTORNEYS 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 f Oct. 29, 1935. c. w. voGT 2,018,750

APPARATUS FOR NESTING A'ND SUBDIVIDING COMESTIBLES Filed Feb. 25, 1953 13 sheets-Sheet 12 INVENTR Clare/zee lfqg ATTORNEYS oct. 29, 1935.

C. W. VOGT APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUBDIVIDING COMSTIBLES Filed Feb.. 23, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 15 lNvl-:N'roR Clare/zw iff/@jf BY at .4 WM'M ATTORNEYS These packages each include a plurality of layers i in the package.

`Patented Oct.` 29, 1935.;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR NESTING AND SUB- ,DIVIDING COMESTIBLES clarence w, Vogt, Louisville, mignon by mesne assignments, to Vogt Processes, Incorporated, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Deia- Ware Application February 23, 1933, Serial No. 658,264

s4 claim.' (ci. 10i-t4) My present invention in its. broader aspects relates to the art of handling, subdividing and l packaging materials, and is capable of usefulof individual service portions ofyice cream of the character disclosed and claimed in my Pat- 5, ent No. 1,906,183, issued April 25, 1933. The invention also affords methods of and apparatus for handling, forming and packaging a wide variety, of other units which are disposed in layers In the specic embodiments illustrated, a pluralityof rods or bars of the frozen ice cream, of

similar. length, and each with a peripheral wrapper, are assembled in parallel, juxtaposed relationship with their ends in parallel planes; the

stack or pile is cut transversely in a plurality of parallel planes to form the individual service portions disposedin separateIayerS; relative separation of layers is eifected: separators or partitions of paper or other analogous material are` o inserted between the adjacent layers;` one or more carton blanks are-inserted in the desired posi- 1 tions; and the layers Vare again moved endwise .to approximately the 'original positions to grip the partitions and carton blank or blanks. The assembly is then removed from the machine and .the packaging completed by folding the carton -blanks and around the assembled layers with the interleaves or partitions and closing the cartons. The detailsof construction of the machine, as

- well as the specic steps employed,may be m'odiiled withinfcomparatively wide ranges, depending upon the character ofxthe individual units chine there is provided a holder and carrieradapted to receive and retain a bundle of ,bars

. age.' assembled rods through the subdividing mechaor rods, in the same relativeposition which the individual unitsy are to occupy in the nal pack- This lcarrier servesnot only to move the nism, but also operates to axially shift the separated layers formed by the subdividing action,

toward and from eachother, and to deposit the subdivided assembly with Ithe interleaves and carton blanks upon a suitable support for pack aging.

An e further important feature oi the invention there is provided a mechanism in which the rods are assembled in the desired relationship, and which is4 so designed as to facilitate the transfer of the entire group of assembled rods to the holders or carriers previously referred to.

As an important feature of the method, the interleaves andl carton blank are inserted between and gripped bythe separate layers of the units to be packaged before said units are unloaded from the carriers.

As a further important feature of the method the package is made or -formed around the assembled units, as distinguished from the hereo tofore method of depositing the units or groups of 'units in a more or less completely preformed carton.

y It is. among the objects of the invention to provide an apparatuscf the general character describedy above in which'the bundle of frozen ice cream sticks is securely held during subdivision of the bundle into layers of individual portions, and in which subdivision and packaging are accomplished in such a manner that the subdivided o portions remain in aligned relationship as con'- trasted to staggered relationship 'vertically so that the columnar eilect of this alignment is 1nsured, and wherebyl the weight of superposed portions or layers isv carried in part at least by substantially the entire peripheries of the wrapment, all to the end that the product in the lower layers' is Vnot compressed, mashed or otherwise distorted. f l

Further objectsare to accomplish the foregoing desiderata by a simple, rugged, durable mechanism capable of convenient .manipulation insofar as hand operations are concerned and substantially foolproof in operation insofar as the motor controlled operations are concerned.

In the accompanying drawings there are illustrated two embodiments or certain "features of the invention, but it will, of' course, be undero stood that these are to be considered in an illustrative rather thanin a limiting snse,and a wide variety of otherv embodiments might bedesignedjwithin the scope. of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

. In these drawings one embodiment is illustrated 1n F185. 1 to 27 inclusive.

Fig. lis a side elevation of the apparatus with one end broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the p artsshown in Fig'. 1.

` Figs. 3 and 6 taken together are an enlarged fragmentary topplan view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, but with some parts broken away and in section, Fig. 6 being taken on line l-I of Fig. 4.

Figs. 4 and 5 taken together are a central. vertical, longitudinal section through certain of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the figures being central, longitudinal, vertical sections of the partsI shown in Figs. 6 and 3 respectively.

Fig. '1 is a sectional detail on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view partly in section, on the staggered line 8--8 of Fig. 5 showing the holders in axially spaced relationship.

Fig. 91s a section similar to a portion of Fig. 8, but showing the holders in closely juxtaposed positions.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the sleeve shown in section in Figs. 8 and 9.

Fig. 1l is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section through 'the slicing mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the blades of the slicing ,mechanism and its supports.

Fig. 13a is a perspective view of one of the the assembling device for the rods, the section being taken on the line i'i-II of Fig. 18.

Fig.. 18 is a fragmentary top plan view partly in section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 17.

Fig. y19 is a sectional detail on the line iI--ll of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is an elevated detail showing the layers in spaced relationship in the holders, with the partitions inserted.

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 20, but showing the holders in closed up position. f

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 21, but showing the carriers swung to discharging position, the holders opened and the assembly withdrawn therefrom.

Fig. 22a is a diagrammatical plan view showing a clamp carrier in discharging position over an unloading `table,.the carton vblank not being shown.

Fig. 22h is a similar view but showing the clamps opened and the table shifted to a position when the load clears the clamps.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view showing the package in partly formed condition.

' Fig. 24 is a top plan view of the mechanism for aiding in forming the carton around the contents.

Fig. 25 is a central longitudinal section on the line 25,-25 of Fig. 24.

Fig. 26 is a plan view of the carton blank, and

Fig. 27 is a perspective view of the final package. y

A second embodiment of trated in Figs. 28 to 32 inclusive.

Fig. 28 is a top -plan view of another machine embodying certain features of the invention.

the invention is illus` Fig. 29 is a side elevation partly in section, on the line 29-29 of Fig. 28.

Fig. 30 is a. section on a larger scale, on the line 80--30 of Fig. 28.

Fig. 31 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 30,

but showing the holder in closed position, and` tions, superchilled and hardened to the required degree, and then cut into shorter sections.'for instance'of a length substantially equal to the height of two or more superposed packages of the individual service units. The present mechanism receives these short bars, which may be about 201/2 inches long and about 1% inches in diameter. The bars are assembled in parallel superposed and/or nested relationship with their ends in lateral alignment to form approximately a hexagonal body composed of nineteen of these bars. Such a pile or bundle of bars will represent the equivalent of approximately five gallons of ice cream, or of two packages of approximately two and one-half gallons each. Obviously if the bars are of larger or smallerA diameter there will be a corresponding diierence in the number of bars assembled and the final package may be made of different length, diierent cross-sectional form or of different ice cream content.

My improved mechanism in the form illustrated includes a sectional holder in the form of a carrier clamp for receiving and gripping the assembly of bars forming this hexagonal body and carrying them and the resulting units caused by subdivision, through various successive operations. It is not essential that the bars be assembled as a hexagonal body, as obviously they may be assembled in a body of any other desired crosssection, depending upon the size and form of the inalvr package to1be produced. The particular shape illustrated has the practical advantage of readily tting into practically any of the refrigeratedV spaces of the numerous types of soda fountains and ice cream cabinets which are now in use in this country, the Dominion of Canada and elsewhere and designed to receive ilve gallon cans of bulk ice cream.

lWith particular reference to Figs. 1 to27 inclusive, the machine shown in side elevation in Fig. 1 consists of a main frame casting I0 supporting a second frame Il also in the form of a casting which in turn mounts or carries all of the cutters and their driving means, said cutter mechanism being indicated generally at C.

A bracket I2 secured to one end of the main frame I0 mounts a loading unit indicated generally at L. Abutting the opposite side of the able from its full line position of Fig. 1 into the dotted line position shown at D' at which point a load of sticks is transferred into the clamp from the loader L.

Thereupon the clamp is drawn along the bed B supported upon frame I Il to carry all of the sticks through the reciprocating saw elements of the cutter mechanism C with the sticks firmly which cooperatively constitute the carrier member D are moved together to clamp the paper and carton blanks between the layers..of ice' cream as illustrated in Fig. 21.

/The entire `clamp structure is rotated on a horizontal axis to the position illustrated in Fig.

22, and the stack unloaded onto a receiving table I 1 from which the series of layers with their associated carton blanks are carried to the package forming mechanism illustrated in Figs. 24

CFI

and where the folding and closing of the cartons is completed.

Loading mechanismYFigs. 1, 2, 1 7, 18 and 19) Rising from the bracket I2 are a pair of vertically disposed spaced casting members'IB of generally oval or elliptical external contour, and the inner face of each casting member carries a. track plate IBa grooved Vto define an elliptical track I9. Fixed upon the inner faces of the track plates I 8a are a series of racks. 20 cooperatively providing a continuously toothed trackway following the contour of the track I9, but disposed `within the confines thereof. A pair of ballbearing rollers 2I connected by an axle l22 travel in the vtracks I9, and gears 23 arranged inwardly of each roller 2I are continuously in mesh with the tracks afforded by the racks 2II.'

A hollow shaft or'sleeve 24 is provided with diametrically opposite, longitudinally extending keys 25 and the ends of this shaft are encircled by and keyed to hub castings 26 having apertured extensions 21 receiving the axle 22 and having such apertures hushed at 28 to afford bearings for the axle. Disposed between the two end castings 26 any suitable number of fingercarrying hubs 29 encircle and are keyed to shaft 24. `Each of these hubs is rigidly fixedl to a finger member 30, and each finger 30 includes a horizontally disposed intermediate portion 30a, an upwardly and outwardly inclined free end 30h, and an upwardly inclined end portion 30e whichl may take the form of a web as indicated in Fig. 17. These fingers cooperatively' dene a skeleton basket or cradle of roughly semi-hexagonal shape, save that the finger portions 30h and 30o are somewhat longer than the horizontal portion 30a for a purpose which will more fully hereinafter appear. 4

`In lling the skeleton basket with a series of sticks of hard frozen ice cream of similar length, proper lateral alignment of the stick ends may be'assured by placing one end of each vstick against am abutment plate 3| constituting one end of the basket and held in position by a collar member 3Ia to which it is afxed. Collar 32, like the hubs 26 and the member 23, encircles and is'keyed to the shaft 24.

Suitable 'pantograph mechanism is provided for maintaining the skeleton basket loader in a horizontal plane at all times even though the rollers 2I which ai'ord traction rkmeans for the basket are moved completely around their orbital 5 tracks I9.

Various types of parallel motion linkage might be utilized for this purpose, but I havev found the mechanism .herein illustrated to be highly satisfactory. 'I'his mechanism (see Fig 17) includes 10 pairs of parallel links 32, 32. Each pair of links has fixed. pivots 33, 33 in the bracket I2, and the free ends of the'links are pivotally, connected as at 34 to diametrically opposite points of a ring member 35. Second pairs of links '36 which are l5 either parallel orso arranged as to have the effect of parallel links have their lowerends pivoted at3l to the ring`35, pivots 31 being at the ends of a diametric axis of. the ring at right angles to the diametric axis intersecting the piv- 20 ots 34. The upper ends of the links 36 are pivotally connected as at 38 to lugs 39 projecting from diametrically oppositie sides of `the hubs 26. Coiled contractile springs 40 having their ends secured to the intermediate portions of the lower 25 link 32 of each pair and to some fixed point as for instance the pivot of thepupper` link 32 of each pair, tend to maintain the entire pantograph link system in an elevated position and tend to counterbalance the descending movement of. the 30. loaded basket and assist the ascending movement of the unloaded basket as said basket moves down- -wardly at one end of its orbit and upwardly at the opposite 'end thereof. To insure proper balance a-complete pantograph mechanism is provided $5 at each end of the loading basket (Fig. 2)", the two sets of mechanism being spaced apart a sufiicientdistance to completelyA straddle the loader and the sticks' which it carries.

A handle member 4I fixed on the shaft 24 is 40..

usedfor moving the loader forwardly and4 downwardly from the position of. Fig. .17 into a position where the fingers 30 and the bottom plate 3| pass through slots 42 in the rear edge of the bed B and the load of sticks is transferred into 45 a waiting receiver in the form of a carrier clamp shown at D' in Fig. l. During this-movement the fingersl 30 pass between the spaced and cor'- respondingly shaped relatively fixed fingers 43 of the carrier clamp so that the-assembly vorbundle of sticks remains on the lingers 43 while the loader mechanism may be dra-wn on downwardly and moved completelyaround its orbit by-manua1 actuation ofthe handle 4I until it is l again in loading position. The manner in which the springs 40 tend to'counterbalance the weight of the descending loader and assist in lifting A the empty loader back into position, will be entirely obvious. The two sets of -parallel linkage 32, 32 and 36, 36 operate in conjunction with the 60 ring 35 to maintain the loading basket in a horizontal plane at all times.

Cutter mechanism (Figsrf, 2 and 12 to 16 inclusive) 65 'The bundles of sticks gripped by the carrier clamps are drawn along the bed B through a series of spaced vertically reciprocating cutting cut the stick bundles rapidly and cleanly without 14 distorting `the sticks while they arebeing severed into layers of individual service portions of ice The frame structure Il of the cutter mecha.- nism includes a pair .of spaced vertical frames or standards 46 supporting at their upper ends a table 48 upon which the drive mechanism for the cutters is mounted. 'Iwo knife or saw carrying frames, each indicated generally at 49; are vertically reciprocable in guides aiorded by the frames 46. Each frame 49 is of generally rectangular shape including upper and lower crossbars 59 connected by vertical end bars 5|.

The inner faces of the frames 46 (Figs. 15 and 16) include machined .faces 52 near their upper and lower ends to which are bolted tracks or wear plates 53 having inwardly facing V-shaped gio grooves 54 therein. `Riding in these grooves are shoes 55 mounted at the ends of the upper and lower crossbars 50 of the saw carrying frames 49. Each shoe 55 includes a V-shapedy head member 56 fitting within the tracks 54, and a4 circular shank member 51 `accommodated in a socket 58 in the crossbar 59. Cylindrical Shanks 51, in their sockets 58, permit such correct alignment of the shoes 55 in the grooves. Shims behind the plates are employed to accommodate for wear of the parts. The shoes 55 being free to oscillate are prevented from possible jamming during vertical reciprocation of the saw carrying frames.

Any suitable means may be employed for mounting and tensioning the saw blades on the crossbars 59 in their carrier 'frames 49.- Merely as an example, I have'shown in Figs. 13a and. 14 a type of blade which works satisfactorily. Each blade 69 is shown as provided with a serrated knife edge 6i similar to thatof an'ordinary bread cutter. Each end of the flexible blade 69 has a head portion or reinforcement 62 riveted thereto as indicated at 63 and having a pin 64 extending transversely4 therethrough.

Both the upper and lower crossbars 59 (Fig. 13) carry guide brackets 65 in the form of pairs of lugs integral with the crossbars and affording slots between them to accommodate the saw. Below thefguide brackets 65 on the lower crossbar 59 is a second pair of lugs 66 spaced suiciently far apart to accommodate between them the combined thickness of the saw blade and the member 62 and having grooves 61 in their under faces adapted to accommodate the ends of the pins 64.

On the upper crossbar 59 above the bracket 65 there is mounted a lug 68 apertured for the reception of a bolt 69, thelatter carryingon its lower end a block 19 adapted to engage the upper end of the saw 60. The upper threaded end of the bolt is encircled by a nut 1I which serves the nut 1I begins to draw the block 19 upwardly pin 62 will work more deeply into the bottom of the recess 'I3 and there is no danger of the saws inadvertently springing` out of position or becoming disengaged from their can'iers during operation.

The crossbars of the two saw carriers are of generally U-shape in cross-section, andas best .seen in Figs. 12 and 16 the brackets 65 of one crossbar are staggered with respect to and lie between the brackets of the crossbar of the other saw frame so` that the cutting edges of all of the saws of both sets are disposed in the same plane 5 and face in the same direction.

The means for vertically reciprocating the saw carrying frames 49 (Figs. 2 and l2) includes a motor 15 mounted upon the table 48 and driving a crank disc 16 through an endless driving band 10 The crank disc 16 is xed upon the end oi.'

a shaft 18 mounted in suitable bearings 19 and on the opposite end of this shaft there is preferably provided a flywheel 89. A rocker arm 8| journaled in bearings 82 on the table 48 has a crank 15 arm 83 rigidly xed thereto and pivotally connected, as at 94 to the crank rod 85 which in. turn is pivotally secured at 86 to the outer face of the` crank disc 18. Also keyed to the rocker arm 8| is a walking beam 81, the ends of which 20 are pivotally connected to links 88 which are in turn pivotally connected at 89 to the upper crossbars of the two knife carrying 'frames 49. This drive means for eiecting reciprocation of the two 'blade carrying frames is merely one of 5 many types which could be used and the details are no part of the invention.

It is desirable that the knife carrying frames always' move in relatively opposite directions, that is, one ascending while the other is descending and vice versa. The advantage of this arrangement is that the sticks of icecream which are being drawn through the knives are never subjected to strains which might tend to cause relative displacement of the sticks constituting 85, the bundles, that is, the action of the upwardly moving set of knives is counterbalanced by the action of the downwardly moving set of knives at all times. The purpose of the ilywheel is, of f course, to prevent any irregular or jerky motion 40 of the reciprocating knife carriages. The construction is such that the knives may be readily removed for sharpening as often as required, and tension on the knives may be conveniently taken up at any time without removing them from the 5 machine.

Carrier clamps (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11) y Each carrier clamp includes a plurality of individual clamping elements normally spaced apart 50l y a sufiicient distance to clear the knives as the sticks are drawn through the set-y of-knives and capable of being shiftedv a greater distance apart to separate the individual layers formed by the cutting operation when the occasion requires. 55 Each carrier clamp may properly be said to include a yoke member 9.0 in thel ends of which a sleeve member 9| is keyed as at 92 to prevent rotation. Keyed for sliding movement along this sleeve are hub members 98 each integral with a Q0 web portion 94 carrying the fingers 43.

The end face95 .of each web carries a nger s portion 96v to form the lower half of a hexagonal clamp. The fingers 96 are preferably provided with shoes 91 on their under sides traveling be- 85` tween tracks 91a on the bed B, to guide the movement of th'e carrier clamps along the bed. Cooperating With the ngers 96 are semi-hexagonal fingers 98 each pivotally connected as at 98a to one of the webs 94. The fingers 98, which in ef- 70 fect constitute a movable upper half of each individual clamp unit, are simultaneously movable to the open position indicated in dottedllines yin Fig. 5 when the clamps are to receive their charge from the loading mechanism previoully I have illustrated a pneumatic means for the pul'pOse.

A series of horizontally disposed cylinders 99 are secured upon brackets |00 xed to the yoke 90. Each cylinder at one end communicates through a flexible conduit |0| with a header |02 which may be connected by a flexible conduit to any suitable source of compressed air (not shown). The flexibility ofthe conduits |0| permits the axial spreading of the clamps as hereinafter described. Pistons |03 working in the cylinders 99 are xed to piston rods |04 extending through the ends of the cylinders and connected by links |05 to the fingers 98. The links |05 have pivotal connections as at |06 and |01 with both the piston rods and -the ngers in order that straight linear motion of the piston rods may be converted into arcuate movement of the ngers 98 about their fixed pivots 98a.

Coiled expansion springs |08 disposed within the cylinders between the cylinder heads and the pistons |03 normally tend to vswing the fingers 98 to open position," but the introduction of compressed air into the cylinders overcomes theiactlon of these springs and closes the clamps. The springs might operate in the opposite direction and a vacuum be used instead of air pressure.

The manner in which the various individual sectional clamps which cooperate to define Athe complete skeleton carrier clamp unit, may be separated for the purpose of separating the-layersof ice cream carried by the individual clamps, is more clearly4 illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive and Fig. 3.

-Each of the hub members 93 has an inwardly y extending stud ||0 passing through a longitudinal slot in the xed sleeve 9|, and into a-cam groove ||2 formed in the peripheral surface of a shaft ||3 journaled within the sleeve 9|. -Shaft 3 is held against endwise displacement with respect to the sleeve by a crank handle I4 flxed on a squared projection ||5 at one end of the shaft and by a washer' I6 encircling a reduced threaded extension ||1 at th other end of the shaft and forced into abutment with the outer face .of one end of the yoke by a nut ||8, a

suitable lock washer being interposed between the nut ||8 and washer ||6 if desired.

Each camfgroove ||2 extends around approximately one-half of the periphery yof the shaft ||3 so that by rotating the shaft 3 through studs 0, and the hubs 93 to which they are aixed, are shifted from one extreme position to the other endwise along the sleeve 9|. As the sleeve 9| cannot rotateand the slots are 1onvwise movement.

The purpose of this arrangement is to separate' being held against the top of the stud |26 by gitudinal thel hubs cannot rotate during this end-i and the stationary hub and six hubs to the left of it are shifted outwardly into similarly spaced relationship. f

The full width of the yoke 90 may be utilized in the spacing operation so that the two end hubs of the composite carrier clamp actually abut the inner ends of the yoke when the individual clamps are in the separated position shown in Fig. 8.' Of course, successive clamp elements must be shifted relatively greater distances during this separat- 10 ing operation and this is taken care of/.by the successively varying pitch of the cam slots ||2.

' Sufhce it to say that when the crank handle ||4 is shifted from the position of Fig. 9 through 180 to the position of Fig. 8, allof the clamps 15 for certain of the pins |0 whose ranges of move- 20 ment do not overlap. This is not important as a single slot for all of the pins will serve the same purpose.

Turntable (Figs. 1, z, 4, s and 6) The elongated turntable frame l5 includes an 25 .upper horizontally disposed portion |20 and a lowerhorizontally disposed portion I2 These spaced portions of the turntable are connected at their ends by integral connecting webs |22 and at the 30 center of the turntable they are connected by upstanding webs |23. The turntable portion |2| at its center provides a collar or hub portion |24 lined with a suitable bearingv bushing |25 and adapted to rotate on the upwardly presented hol- 35 low stud.|26 on the bracket I4. Interposed between the hub |24 and a flange |21 of the stud |26 Iis a ball thrust bearing |28. A second ball thrust bearing |29 is interposed between the upper side of the hub |24 and a disc |30, the latter a screw |3I.

Rising from the hub |24 are spaced web mem.- bers |32 each affording bearings at |33 for the reduced ends |35 of screw shafts |34, such screw shafts extending longitudinally of the turntable. The other outer ends of the shafts (Fig. 5) are also reduced as indicated at |36 and journaled in bearings |31 provided in the end web members |22 which connect the upper and lower turntalrle 50 portions |20 and |2|. A

'Ihe turntable portion. |20 includes spaced parallel rails each including an inwardly.A turned ange |38 which cooperates with a track plate |39 upon the top of the rail to afford atrackway u guiding the movement of a draw bar |40 connected to the carrier clamp units D. f

' The connection of the draw bar and carrier clamp appears in Fig. 5 wherein it will be noted that the reduced end'of the flat draw bar enters a circular stud member |4| and is pinned thereto as at |42. Stud members |4| are rotatable within sockets |43 formed in the intermediate portions of theyoke 90 (Fig. 3). Plates |44 prevent retraction of the studs |4| yfrom the s sockets, and each stud` |4| is provided with a recess |45 for coaction with a ball member |46 forced into engagement with the stud at all times by aUcoiled compression dspring |41 arranged in a radial bore |48 in the yoke socket and ten- 7 sioned by a screw |49 which closes the end of the bore. The ball |46 and the recesses or sockets |45 cooperate *o afford a snap lock which will sustain the carrier clamp unit either in the horizontal position-ofFlg.- 5 or-'in a vertical position u when the yoke has been rotated on the stud |4| through an angle of 90.

The screw shafts |34 arecontinuously driven from a motor |50 mounted on the turntable and driving, through a reduction gear |,5|, a downwardly extending stub shaft |52 having bearings at |53 in the turntable casting. The lower end of this stub shaft carries a bevel gear |54 meshing with a pair of bevel gears |55 on the respective screw shafts |34. Thus it will be observed that the screw shafts are continuously rotated and that the turntable, in the absence of some means for preventing it, can be rotated at will.

In order to prevent inadvertent rotation of the turntable, however, I have provided a special latch mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 which includes a pair of bolts |56 projecting inwardly through openings |51 in the hub |24 and its bushing |25 and into sockets |58 in the stud |56. These bolts when projected prevent rotation` of the socket on the stud. They are'normally held in projected position by coiledcontractile springs |59 anchored to crank arms |60 mounted on vertical shafts |6| having bearings at |62- in the members |20 and |2| and being provided at their upper ends with operating handles |63 for man-l clamps in the opposite direction while their draw bars are disengaged from the screws and for manually effecting Yreengagement of the draw bars with the screw for the next operation. Such mechanism will now be described.

Draw bar actuating and releasing mechanism (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 41, 6 and 7) As best seen in Figs. 4, 6 and '1 each draw bar |40 supports a pair of spaced pendant transversely extending U-shaped tracks |65 (Fig. 4), these tracks being secured by screws |66 and spaced the proper distance below the draw bar by spacer blocks |61 through which the screws pass. Transversely slidable along these tracks are the anged upper ends |68 (Fig. '1) of hanger members |69 which at their lower ends terminate in semi-cylindrical, internally threaded nut sections |10 adapted to be shifted into engagement with the screw shafts |34. Means'for shifting the half or split nut sections |10 into and out of engagement with the shaft |34 includes a Vpair of arcuate links |1| (Fig. 6) each having its outer end pivotally connected by a stud |12 to the flange |68 and each having its inner end pivotally connected by a stud |13 with a superjacent disc'ior crank plate |14. This plate is carried by the lower end of a shaft |15 mounted on thedraw bar and having a pinion |16 keyed at |11 to the upper end thereof. Arranged between the pinion and the draw bar |40 is a loosely pivoted cam member |18 of generally circular shape except for an elongated pointed extension |19 (Fig. 6) at one side there- The pinion |16 is continuously in mesh with a gear journaled on a shaft1|8l fixed in the draw bar and manually rotatable by a handle member |82. It will be evident that rotation of the pinion |16 in one direction declutches the nut section |10 from the screw shaft |34 and rotation of thepinion in the opposite direction reengages said nut sections with the screw shaft.

The cam member |18 which is fixed upon thev 5 shaft |15 insures automatic declutching as the clamps reach the limit of their positive feed along the screw shafts, such positive feed occurring during the dragging of the carrier clamps and their load through the saws. This declutching is ac- 10 complished by the provision of a squared notch |83 in the edge of a block |84 secured upon the top of the upper turntable frame section |20. As the clamp carriage is drawn through the saws by the manually `effected interconnection of the 15 draw bar |40 with the nut sections |10 and just before the .nut sections can abut the web |32, the nose of thecam |18 engages a corner of the notch |83 swinging the cam and the pinion |16 and the gear |80 causing the cam to enter thef20 recess butt end first and automatically withdraw- -ing or declutching the nut sections |10. The rotation of the pinion causedA by turning of the cam operates to rotate the disc|14 and cause the arms or links |1| to shift the nut sections outwardly 25 The purpose of using 4the particular typeof curved link best illustrated in Fig'. 6 is to provide a past center arrangement which is effective to positively hold'the nut sections in operative position or positively hold them out of operative 80 position when the disc |14 has been rotated 90 in one direction or the other. The arrangement is such that an inwardly applied pressure on the fianges |68 when in the position of Fig. 1 would be ineffective to move them due to the positive 85 blocking action of the links |1|. In other words, the clamps can only be moved by a positive rotation of the pinion |16 which rotation is accomplished only by turning the handle |82 or by the engagement of the cam |18 with the notched 40 block |83.

The means above described for moving the carrier back and forth along the turntable and in a piston of any suitable well known type such as that hereinbefore described, foi opening and closing y the clamps.

Interleavna the layers and unloading the clamps 55 (Figs. 20 and 22h) Immediately after the ice cream sticks or rods have been moved past the saws, the handle ||4 is swung from the position shown in Fig. 2l to the 60 position of Fig. 20 thereby serving to open up all of the individually clamped layers of individual service portions of ice cream. Thus there is no sufficient time interval during which the abutting ends of vthe freshly cut sticks may refreeze to- 5 gether.

After the carrier clamp has been disengaged from the screw drive by the action of the automatic clutch release above described, thehandie 70 |63 is swung to retract the turntable locking bolts |56, and using the handle |63 for the purpose the turntable isrotated through presenting a new empty carrier clamp at the Ibed B and moving the filled carrier to a' point where the inter-'15 leaving of paper and the introduction of carton blanks takes place.A

Inasmuch as the cartons which I have illus.

trated are adapted to contain only six layers of ice cream,` the clamp carrier will. of course, hold a. suilicient charge fortwo cartons. With the clamps opened up as shown in Fig. 20 layers of waxed or oiled paper or other suitable separators` I6 are introduced between the spaced layers of ice cream portions and a projecting edge of each separator is bent over as indicated so that they will not slip out of position by the force of gravity. A fiat carton blank |85 shown in plan.,in Fig. 26 is introduced between the two sets of six layers of ice cream and held in place by hand until by swinging the handle |I4 the individual clamping elements are moved together again clamping the separators (including the cartonv blank) between them.

A second carton blank is now held by hand against the outer face of one of the end layers and the yoke 98 with its contents is swung through an angle of '90-so that the axis ofthe f includes a standard |88 rising from the free end of the arm |86 and having a relatively deep socket |89 in the upper end thereof. y The table I1 is secured as by screws |98 on a plate |9I, the latter plate carrying a downwardly presented cylinder |92 having an inwardly turned flange |93 at its lower end interlocking with an outwardly turned flange |94 at the top of the standard |88. The plate I 9| also carries a plunger |95 guided in the ,bore |89. A coiled expansion spring I96`is confined within the cylinder |92 and encircles the plunger |95. One end of this spring works against a reactance member |91 encircling plunger |95 and resting upon the top of the standard |88 and the other end of the spring works against the plate |9I and tends to vertical position shown in Fig. 22 and directly over the table I1 as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 22a, the air pressure in the header |82 is released, thereby permitting the springs I 88 to open the clamp lingers 98 and release the as` sembledstack of layers of individual ice cream portions. .i

Thereupon the loading tables are swung to the position of diagrammatic Fig. 22h sov that the' load clears the clamps and the clamps may be reclosed and restored to horizontal position ready for return to the bed B upon the next reversal of the turntable T. 4

- I order to best understand 'the manner in which the packages shown in Fig. 27 may be completed, reference may be had to the blank of with the individual portions of .the A With the construction shown, a slight variation 75 Fig.,26. "This 'blank includes a' central portion |98 of hexagonal conformation to opposite sides of which are attached rectangular blank sections |99, each of the sections being divided by a fold or score line 288 into three individual panels 28|. The free end of each panel 28I` is provided with an inwardly bendable tab 282 and those edges of the hexagonal section |98 which are notdirectly connected to the blank sections |99' are also provided with inwardly foldable tabs 283. The 10 package and blank shown in Figs. 23, 26 and 27 are illustrated and claimed -in my copendlng application Serial No. v709,245 herelnbefore referred to.

In positioning the blanks with respect to the 15 layers of ice cream in Fig. 20, the central portion |98 ofeach blank is disposed in registration with the clamped layers.

Packaging mechanism (Figs. 24, 25, 26 and 27) y 2o In the present application, no claim is made to the mechanism which is illustrated for forming the carton blank around the stack `and completing the package, and therefore. so far as the present invention is concerned, this operation 25 may be carried out in any suitable manner and entirely by hand or by the use of any suitable mechanism. As an example, this operation may be accomplished in the manner which will now be described. 80

'I'he mechanism illustrated in Figs. 24 and 25 is illustrated and claimed in my copendlng application Serial No. 1,872, filed Jan. 15, 1935.-

The side forming blank sections |99 of the uppermost carton vof the stack which hasbeen 3,5

deposited upon the table l1 Aare manueuy feided upwardly as shown in Fig. 23 and the carton lifted from the table I1 and deposited in a hexagonal depression 284 in a table 285. A hexagonal carton top y|8511 is laid upon the contents of o .the carton. As the partially folded and iilled table and encircling nearlyone-half of the recess' 45 284 and serving as a. folding guide. A complementa'ry folding or clamping element 281 corresponding in size and shape to the member 286 is slidable over the table 285 to complete the folding of the sides of the carton about thecontents 50 thereof.

The means for advancing and retracting the movable folding element 281 includes a link 288 having a pivotal connection at 289 with the member 281 and a pivotal connection at 2I8 with al 5&5

crank arm 2I| fixed upon a. rockshaft 2I2, the opposite end of the rock shaft carrying a second crank arm 2|3 to which a handle 2I4 is affixed.

Link 288 is formed of two sections and includes a spring portion to render it longitudinally resilo ient so that the clamping member 281 will not be positively thrust against the carton with sufiicient force to smash the contents thereof in the tends to extend the link to its full l,ength, but 70 which is yieldable when the clamp 281 vas pressed the carton blank together 'with sufdcient firmness to insure contacting of the sides'28I firmly product. 

